In the morning, Yoon Shik left for the bookstore in the market. As he reached there, he found that the rush was usually more that day compared to the others days. He went towards the counter; put the cloth bag inside which he had the translated books with an elbow over it. He saw mostly upper class men were there talking with each other about the civil services exam.
He was smiling hearing them when Jangmi came there. "Yoon Shik, what are you doing here in the early morning instead of going to the Beak Chun's shop?" inquired Jangmi and put the two books behind on a table.
"Ahjussi, I came here to return you the completed work of translation. Take these and give me my money," asserted Yoon Shik. Jangmi smiled and took the cloth bag from him. After checking the work, he handed him the remaining cents for the work. "You have improved a lot," murmured Jangmi. Yoon Shik smiled and thanked him.
"Result is going to come. Look at the excited faces of the noble class. They all are waiting for their results. I heard this time only 80 students could make through the exam while a total 500 candidates sat for the exam. So, you can see the level of competition," muttered Jangmi when Chan Sul came there.
Yoon Shik did not notice him when Chan Sul asked, "Jangmi, you helped this lower-class?" Immediately Yoon Shik turned to look at him. "But I do not think anything good will happen to him. You should have told him before helping that dreaming to be a scholar is a waste of time for a Sangmin," he further added.
"I am not a lower class," muttered Yoon Shik sternly. Chan Sul shifted his gaze to look at him and looked at him from head to toes. "Should I ask the people here whether you are a lower-class or not?" said voice and it was none other than Sung Tae.
Jangmi got up from the chair and lightly bowed his head before Sung Tae. "Still not bowing before me? You know there is a class called Chungins, above the rank of Sangmins. Even those people also bow in front of me. Why? Because I am the son of the nation's prime minister. Instead of shooting this gaze at me why do you not bow before me?" asserted Sung Tae and saw some of the people there had lowered their gazes.
"This kid will get in danger at this rate. I have to intervene," thought Jangmi and stepped forward. "Master Tae, let go this kid. Yoon Shik, please greet him," said Jangmi politely and held Yoon Shik's arm but he did not do what Jangmi told me instead he was glaring into the eyes of Sung Tae. Jangmi leaned closer to Yoon's ear and whispered, "My shop will get a lock if you acted adamant."
Yoon Shik looked at him and then slightly jerking off his arm left from the shop. The people in the shop started whispering. "It seems the son of the prime minister has no respect in the city. See, how a Sangmin disrespected you," said Wang Wook, looking at Sung Tae which made him furious. He too walked out of the shop followed by Chan Sul, Wang Wook and Ro Sang Pil.
Yoon Shik was going through the market. There were deep frown on his forehead which clearly showed that he felt not only bad but dejected listening their words. He turned to an alley when he saw Chan Sul and Ro Sang Pil blocking his path. He ignored them when they both caught him by his arms and hit him against the wall.
"Ahh, leave me," shouted Yoon Shik but they did not listen to him when he saw Sung Tae and Wang Wook coming from the front. He tried releasing himself from them but it was in vain. Sung Tae stopped an inch away from Yoon Shik and said, "Lower your eyes."
"I will not," muttered Yoon Shik. Sung Tae laughed slightly and punched him hard on the face. "Ahh," Yoon whimpered in pain as his lips got injured because of the attack. "9 years I gave you and I held my anger not to hit you. But toady you proved that the people like you deserve a nice beating," muttered Sung Tae in anger.
Yoon Shik smiled and said, "Do I affect you that much? I am happy that my presence is affecting you that much." He was smiling at him when Sung Tae threw another punch at him followed by other but he was stopped by someone.
"Who dare to stop me?" shouted Sung Tae and saw Do Yeong was holding his fist, Sunwo came forward and then gestured to Chan Sul and Ro Sang Pil to leave Yoon Shik while fanning himself. They did so when Yoon Shik closed his eyes and supported himself from the wall.
"Leave me," shouted Sung Tae.
Yeong smiled and softly said, "It does not suit prime minister's son doing such a thing in the market. If someone will see you, it can affect you."
Sung Tae put down his hand back and left from there in anger. But before leaving he told Yoon Shik that he should not repeat such a thing in front of ever again. Yoon Shik wiped the blood from the back of his palm and opened his eyelids. Sunwo looked at him curiously but Yoon averted his gaze and was going to leave from there when Do Yeong said, "Indeed you have not changed in these 9 years."
Yoon stopped at his place and turned to look at him. Sunwo too came forward and stood beside Do Yeong. "Do I know you?" asked Yoon.
Do Yeong smiled. He was going to tell him about him when a loud announcement stopped him from doing so. "This is to inform to all the candidates that result for civil services exam has been announced. The results have been pasted in the great examination ground." Yoon Shik smiled and ran from there to the ground.
"Ahh, he ran away. How come Yoon Shik not able to recognise you? Are you sure he remembers you?" Sunwo asked while looking at the fan.
"My face has changed that is why," Yeong reasoned.
"Let's go from here. I cannot stand here at this cowshed place anymore," stated Sunwo and walked ahead, followed by Do Yeong.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yoon Shik reached the ground and saw many upper class men were there in the ground. Some were extremely happy while some were sad as they would not be able to clear the exam. Yoon Shik stepped forward towards the wooden board on which results had been pasted.
Many candidates were around the large wooden board, looking at their results. Yoon Shik went came ahead and started searching for his name. "Do Yeong has have the first place. As expected from him," murmured Yoon Shik and kept searching for his name when a person among them loudly said, "A Sangmin has qualified the exam for the first time and got second place."
Immediately Yoon turned to look, thinking who might be that guy. "It is Kim Yoon Shik," said another familiar voice. Yoon looked at the person and saw Do Yeong who was looking at the white sheet. Yoon Shik rushed there to see his name. Tears fell from his eyes as he saw his name written on the board after Do Yeong. Everyone looked at him with a startled look as he was crying profusely.
"I am happy Yoon that you made it. Finally, you fulfilled that promise you did to me nine years ago. You have qualified this exam, Yoon," said Do Yeong with a broad smile.